It’s safe to assume that at one point or another, each of us has experienced seeing animals in captivity. Having the opportunity to see wild animals like tigers, elephants and gorillas up close is an exhilarating prospect. Sadly, anyone who as ever set foot inside an establishment housing captive wild animals has also likely witnessed unnatural stereotypic behaviors.

Many patrons are amused, feeling as though the animals are following them around the exhibit. In some cases, they think the animals are “dancing.” The truth is these are only a few of the many stereotypic behaviors exhibited by captive animals. These abnormal behaviors describe “zoochosis,” the psychological impact captivity has on wild animals.

The term was first coined in 1992 by Bill Travers to characterize zoo animals. Today the term refers to any captive wild animal exhibiting abnormal behaviors, including animals in zoos, aquariums, testing (lab) facilities and pseudo-sanctuaries. These behaviors serve no clear purpose or function and are destructive to the animal’s mental, and often physical, well-being.

According to one study, the importance of behavior is as significant as the internal organs essential to one’s life. Animals that display normal behaviors allow for homeostasis, which is needed to ensure internal conditions are maintained and stable. When a captive animal is not capable of modifying or controlling its environment, animals begin to cope by exhibiting stereotypic behavior. Scientists believe this abnormal behavior releases endorphins and allows for momentary relief.

While many renowned facilities pour millions of dollars into programs designed to keep the animals “happy,” it’s clear that stereotypic behaviors are representative of poor welfare in captivity. No habitat can rival the environment animals would have in the wild; albeit the animals born in zoos and other facilities are often born through breeding programs, the number of animals suffering from these stereotypic behaviors only further corroborates that these animals are inherently wild and suffer in captivity.

How Do These Facilities Deal With This Behavior?

The debate over whether or not animals are sentient emotional beings is unremitting, and while zoos and aquariums are quick to assert that their animals are healthy and thriving, they’re just as quick to dismiss claims that their animals are capable of depression and anxiety.

According to Laurel Braitman, many zoos utilize psychopharmaceutical drugs to ease stereotypic behaviors because, as she states, they’re “less expensive then reconstructing a two million dollar exhibit.”

Sadly, this approach is nothing new; we’ve seen facilities administer psychopharmaceutical drugs to temporary alleviate the symptoms of a much larger problem many times before. Most recently, SeaWorld came under fire for administering benzodiazepines to their killer whales. For those who don’t know, it wasn’t until the documentary Blackfish was released and the public began to question the welfare of the animals did they elect to redesign and overhaul the exhibits in their parks.

Common Stereotypic Behaviors

Pacing

Movement in a distinct pattern. Some animals display slow deliberate and prolonged movements while others may display quick movements lasting only short periods.

Bar Biting

The continuous sucking, biting or licking of walls or bars in the animals exhibit.

Headbobbing/Swaying/Neck Twisting

Regurgitation

Often seen in primates, animals have been known to regurgitate their food after eating it only to eat it again or play with it. John Hargrove describes seeing this with the orcas in his new book. (Warning: This video is a bit graphic.)

Self Mutilation/Overgrooming

Seen often in animals kept in solitary confinement.

What Can You Do?

Zoos and other facilities that profit off of holding wild animals captive for the purpose entertainment can never truly have the best interest of the animals in mind. Knowing how animals suffer in captivity, we, as consumers, need to say no to paying for their abuse. When we stop funding cruel animal attractions, they will no longer exist. So, are you ready to help empty the cages?

A growing number of pioneering artists and photographers are now choosing to focus on the plight of these animals, in an attempt to expand people’s awareness of who they truly are when they are allowed to be free.

Just like humans, ensuring a dog or cat’s well-being requires regular teeth maintenance. It may not be all that pleasant to have to regularly go into your pet’s mouth, but it’s important for maintaining your pet’s overall health.

My earliest memory of what I feel about animal captivity was in my parochial school gymnasium in 1980 when the nuns pulled down a big white projection screen and the entire school viewed the film Born Free, about an orphaned lion cub and the humans who helped her.

Disclosure: One Green Planet accepts advertising, sponsorship, affiliate links and other forms of compensation, which may or may not influence the advertising content, topics or articles written on this site. Click here for more information.

F most sanctuaries, such as Big Cat Rescue, Wild Cat Sanctuary and horrible places like That! The founder of WAS stole funds that should have been used for the cat's, she used the donations for personal use. Or what the he'll is a tiger going to wear sexy underwear, dog food, sky diving lessons, or paying a mortgage! BCR is a gross despicable place. They pimp out the cat's, make up a sob story, take in the money, and kill the rescue cat. What a scam they are running! FYI maybe do the research and you will discover most residence are from her breeding program! They all live long lives because they are her personal cat's! Why is the public supporting her pets? Why is only 18 percent spent on actual care of cat's? Most of the people who own sanctuaries have no background or schooling in zoology; Baskin' s case she was a backyard exotic cat Breeder. She sold baby Bob cat cubs in buckets that rarely survived. She did not save from a fur farm her 2nd husband bought them to breed. Zoos have certain hours, and BCR pimps the cat's out for special events, day time, private tours, feeding tours. How is that a sanctuary? It is poorly constructed and most of the stole the cages are swamped.
Zoos reach children about animals and not the AR agenda, which BTW will eventually lead to extinction of what wildlife we have left.
When my great grandchildren ask me where all the big cat's cats have gone, I will blame it on sites like this. That give the wrong information. That villianize zoos. At least they hire qualified people that understand animal behavior. While you all support a whore that slept with a rich married guy. He left his wife for her skanky ass, and bought her exotic cat's to breed, a bed and breakfast for visitors to interact with bobcat and cougars. When she was tired of him and cheating on her, he "disappeared" never to be heard from again. Baskin decided there was more money in being a front for a rescue. So you think a wild cat is better off in the hands of a slut that most likely killed her husband; and experience with wild cat's is breeding? Instead of well qualified zoologists and staff who has specialized training. Maybe you should look at the basics of working at a zoo with the animals. I pick a zoo any day over a sanctuary.

Sanctuaries are a completely different gig than zoos. And I agree... Eff the poachers and trophy hunting scumbags out there.

Steffanie Byrnes

04 Jul 2016

Yes, they are worse, and disgusting. BCR just killed a healthy tiger which was confiscated from a Facebook friend of mine. Funny the two other tigers ended up in a actual nice sanctuary, and are thriving. So SCREW sanctuaries! I wonder how some of you would feel if your pets were taken from you. You were threatened to relinquish ownership, just to know your dog went to a dog rescue that abused and neglected your pet, and pimped him for donations, just to say he was killed for quality of life. I wish that upon all of you that happily support AR organizations, their lies, and what actually happens in hell hole sanctuaries. Jennifer Anderson, you save one exotic animal and rarely care what happens to him or her afterwards.